The Alliance for Workplace Excellence (AWE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping companies become great places to work.

We believe companies with excellent workplaces enjoy competitive advantages in attracting and retaining top talent, generating community support and making efficient use of resources. We believe great workplaces improve a community’s quality of life and economic strength. We're committed to making greater Washington nationally recognized as an excellent place to live and work.

We offer member firms a portfolio of products and services, including educational programs, information resources, consulting, mentoring, networking and annual awards.

Our member firms are big and small, private and public, government and non-profit.

AWE, a 501(c)3 non-profit group founded in Montgomery County, Maryland, is governed by a board of directors.

Current directors include:

Judy Shober

Board of Directors, President
Calvert Group
Work/Life Coordinator

Judy Shober’s contributions have helped Calvert Group, a leading socially responsible investment management company, win multiple workplace excellence recognitions. These include ranking among Working Mother magazine’s 100 Best Companies and Washingtonian Magazine’s Great Places to Work for over 10 years. Calvert has won AWE’s Workplace Excellence seal for the last six years.

She is a member of the Corporate Volunteer Council of Montgomery County, the Society for Human Resource Management and the Washington Metropolitan Work/Life Coalition.

Previously O'Neill served as executive vice president and general manager of Discovery Health Channel and FitTV. There she developed top-rated shows including Mystery Diagnosis and Dr. G. Medical Examiner and the annual National Body Challenge.

Judy Ashley

Caring Matters, LLC
President

Judy Ashley is president of Caring Matters, a firm that helps patients dealing with long-term care decisions protect, maintain and improve their health, fitness and quality of life. Formerly president of LifeWork Strategies, Inc., she has developed educational programs on child and eldercare issues, work/life balance and financial matters.

Community and professional groups she has served include Montgomery County’s Commission on Child Care, the Metropolitan Washington Work/Life Coalition and the National Council on the Aging.

Evelyne Steward

Global Wellness and Work-Life StrategiesVice President

Evelyne Steward developed Discovery's nationally recognized LifeWorks@Discovery program. Her primary responsibilities include implementation of initiatives focused on wellness, work and family, flexibility and employee volunteerism. Evelyne's contributions include the implementation of Discovery's on-site medical center, which has significantly reduced the company's medical expenses.

Evelyne brings over 25 years of managerial and leadership experience in the field of human resources. She served six years as a Commissioner for the Montgomery County Commission for Women and is the primary founder of the Alliance for Workplace Excellence.

AWE Directors

Jennifer Ashley

Alliance for Workplace Excellence
Executive Director

Jennifer Ashley, Executive Director of the Alliance for Workplace Excellence, has a strong passion for supporting, building, and recognizing healthy and happy workplaces. She received her B.S. in Business Management with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University. Her passion and dedication to workplace excellence stems from a background in Human Resources and Work-Life balance. Prior to working at AWE, Jennifer strengthened her skills in areas such as event management, workplace collaboration, and strategic systems analysis & implementation.

Jacki P. Seley

Alliance for Workplace Excellence
Director of Research & Assessments

Jacki P. Seley, Director of Research & Assessment for the Alliance for Workplace Excellence is a consulting professional who specializes in human resources management and organizational improvement. She received her B.S. in Honors Psychology from McGill University, her M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from New York University, and a Certificate of Completion for Focus Group Moderation at the Riva Training Institute. Prior to working at the Alliance for Workplace Excellence, Ms. Seley worked at Oracle Corporation, Booz Allen & Hamilton, Sirota & Associates, and Citibank. Ms. Seley’s specialty areas include: organization analysis, training, development and evaluation, group facilitation, retention initiatives, performance management, survey development and analysis, research methods, and organizational development.